Tag Archives: Communism

The Left Forum took place last week in New York City. This is an annual confab of Marxists and left-wing anarchists of different varieties. In past years, they’ve gathered in a series of plenaries to discuss diverse topics ranging from the Russian Revolution to Mexican politics. While in other years, left-wing academic celebrities like Zizek or Cornel West were central parts of the event, this time many panels had tiny socialist and communist outlets of which the majority of mortals probably have never heard.

In attendance were the Posadists––a Trotskyist organization that sounds more like science fiction comedy than a revolutionary cadre. Their name comes from the founder of this peculiar form of Trotskyism, the late J. Posadas, who was an Argentine who believed that extraterrestrial beings are communists. His followers think that intergalactic travel could only be developed by a communist society, so they believe that if there are aliens able to travel the cosmos, they are logically commies from outer space. Their own annual event is hosted by the aptly named Intergalactic Workers’ League.

On New Year’s Day, China Central Television (CCTV) unveiled its newest “soft power” entertainment media venture, whose purpose is to extend China’s global media influence. Chinese President Xi Jinping said that the overriding directive of this new collection of television stations and news agencies will be to “follow the party line and promote ‘positive propaganda as the main theme.’”

The CCTV announcement compounds the growing risk that increased Chinese investment will entice Hollywood into volunteering itself as a propaganda division of the Communist Party of China (CPC). And if these trends continue, the Western world’s outlet for Chinese dissenters will be closed.

China’s film industry has in recent years grown approximately 34% annually and generated $6.8 billion in 2015. While many applaud the very modest political reforms that sometimes complement China’s market liberalization, one should be wary of the country’s iron grip on its entertainment industry.

China’s industry players are inextricably bound to the CPC, as evidenced by the ascent of Wang Jianlin, China’s richest man. Jianlin’s successes are a product of quid pro quo arrangements between himself and the CPC’s top officials. Further, Jianlin is a delegate to the CPC congress and was a high-level advisor in China’s faux legislature from 2008 to 2013. Today, CPC delegate Jianlin can count several American awards shows, including the Golden Globes, the Billboard and American Music Awards, and even AMC Theaters as part of his recently accrued collection.

With the death of Fidel Castro, many are wondering what the future holds for Cuba. Could the island nation finally free itself from the chains of communism with the Dear Leader finally dead? A recent trip I took to Vietnam gives me hope for Cuba’s successful transition to a market economy.

In all likelihood, an economic sea change isn’t likely to sweep the Caribbean country immediately. Nevertheless, Cuba has taken some positive steps towards a market economy in recent years. In 2011, President Raul Castro legalized private property, allowing citizens to buy and sell their homes and farmers to cultivate a portion of their land for profit. This year brought even more optimistic changes, with many United States embargo restrictions on travel and trade lifted, facilitating the freer flow of goods and services.

Historically speaking, Cuba is likely to join most other so-called “communist” countries still standing today by embracing more capitalist reforms. While China, Laos and Vietnam are all red in theory, in practice the three Asian countries have enjoyed some of the fastest economic growth in recent decades because of free market reforms. North Korea is arguably the last true communist holdout, with the state completely owning the means of production to disastrous results.

This odd juxtaposition of communist ideology with capitalist practice was on full display when I visited Vietnam in November. The monuments and museums are still filled with propaganda. Nearly every mention of the Vietnam War is presented in black and white, as “imperialists” versus “patriots.” Granted, that time period wasn’t exactly the brightest for American foreign policy, but the communist recollection is so biased to the point of humor. While strolling through Ho Chi Minh City’s War Remnants Museum, for example, I couldn’t help but laugh at a panel claiming to show a photograph of South Vietnamese soldiers “drinking blood and swearing to destroy the communists.”